End of August

Havent posted in a LONG time. So many things are happening...so I havent had much time to sit and write.

Here it is, the end of August. How did the summer go by so fast?! Not that I am complaining. The state of Texas is in need of some seriously cooler weather and rain. We had a nice storm last night, but it wasn't near enough to fix this terrible drought. I too, am looking forward to some cooler temps. I get excited when I see the forecast below 100 degrees. I am ready for the kids to be able to go outside and play, not having to worry about Jude's asthma flaring up with the heat.

There are so many things to update on. Some good and some bad. I will try to get to all of them without writing a book!

The kids are growing. They both had their annual check-ups over the summer. Jude is finally over 3 ft tall (37 in), and is weighing in at 33 lb. His asthma is under control with Pulmicort respules 1-2 times a day and Albuterol when needed through the nebulizer. Summyr had her 2 yr. appointment yesterday. She is right behind Jude at 33.25 inches and 27 lbs. She is healthy over all and doesn't seem to have any allergies.

Summyr talks so well and can form a 3-4 word sentence if needed. Her hair is getting so long, and I still refuse to cut it...well except for the bangs. She really loves the Little Einsteins right now, and anything Disney Princess or baby dolls. She is still a self proclaimed vegetarian, with the exception of chicken nuggets and hot dogs. Other than that I have a hard time getting her to eat meat. She loves berries, yogurt with granola, ice cream, and pretzels.

Jude is just as silly as ever. He is growing out of nap time, much to my dismay. Only one more year until kindergarten for him! I am so excited. He is really looking forward to this. He recently went up a shoe size, now a size 9, and got some new shoes. These are not just any shoes. They are Super Z-Straps by Sketcher's. He has been waiting for these shoes for about 9 months. I made him wait until he went up a size, and promised that he would get those shoes. He loves them and sometimes doesn't want to take them off.

I am going to be starting school in October. I decided that I needed to do something for myself. Being a Mom is a good thing, but there has just been this voice in my head telling me that I need to do more. I need to be prepared. Also with the economy the way it is, I just felt like I had had enough of the struggle. Stephan's job is steady, but after working there for over 3 years with no raise, we are barely making it. I want to do what I have to do to make sure the kids have what they need, and that if something happens, I will be able to take care of them. I have decided to go the Virginia College at Austin to get my Associates degree in Medical Office Management. I have always loved the idea of working in the medical field, minus the blood, so this is the perfect way to do it. I will be going full time, and I will be done in 2 years. I am really looking forward to getting out and making this change.

Also, I have been going to the gym and "working out". I really have come to love walking on the treadmill. I am not sure if I have lost much weight, but I have had to buy smaller clothes, so that's a good sign. Finally down to an 8 in pants/shorts, and a medium in shirts. I was a size 14 after having Jude, and a size 12 after having Summyr. Still about 15 lbs to go to reach my goal weight of 120.

Stephan got approved for the new GI Bill at 100% for the next 11 months. This is great because he has decided to leave the Art institute and go back to DeVry and finish his Bachelors degree in Technical Management with a focus on Project Management. He should be done with this in a years time. Hopefully then he can find a better position at HP or another company. He so much talent, and is indispensable. I know he will be a great PM.

Skippy is still Skippy. He is loving the kids and getting lots of rest. He is on a special food from Eukanuba designed specifically for Dachshunds. It contains the extra glucosamine needed for his tiny little legs and his long back. He has been having some problems lately, and so I decided that this would be the best thing for him, even though its pricey. The vet bills would cost me more....

Oh yeah, I am going to be teaching in the nursery at church starting in September. I am nervous because I have not done this in about 8 years. Singing to babies may not seem hard, but it can be intimidating, especially if the same lady has been doing it for years, and now I am the new girl. In an earlier post, I mentioned that our minster had been fired. Our church still does not have a new preacher. Not sure if they are even looking. He is still looking for a job. We keep in close contact with him and his wife. Another sad note about our church is that we just lost our Youth Minister also. He resigned this past Sunday right after telling us that he had been having an extra marital affair. We are, again, so sad. I feel so lost and unsure. Please keep our church, the Round Rock Church of Christ, in your prayers. Strength is needed badly for the members there.

I need to upload some new pics from my camera soon. I hope everyone who reads this is doing well.